Tuesday, June 28, 2005

It Seems Like Yesterday ...

I don't normally answer quizzes; I prefer to reveal myself in my own way at my own time, but this quiz was irresistible. So ...

Where Were You?... (Borrowed from CyberChocolate, en route from "Midlife Musings", en route from "Sorting the Pieces")

1. ... when Alan Shepard became the first American in space? May 5, 1961 is a loooong time ago now. I would have been 12, reading science fiction by that time; I was watching TV with my dad, who was an engineer for Stromberg-Carlson and was interested in space. I remember being excited that humankind was taking its first baby steps toward exploring the universe.

2. ... when John Kennedy was killed? Nov. 22, 1963.I was in class in Junior High, a 14-year old finding his place in life, and I'm almost embarrassed to admit this, but I remember one of the students was detailed to announce the news to all the classrooms, and when I heard the words "Kennedy has been shot," I said to my neighbor "Why would anyone want to shoot the janitor?" because the school janitor was named Kennedy.

John Kennedy's death caused some awkward moments in our household, because my mother was devoutly Catholic and my father was Protestant and a staunch Republican. She loved Kennedy because he was Catholic, but my father wasn't thrilled about having to endure a Democratic president.

3. ... when Robert Kennedy was killed? June 5, 1968. I don't really remember where I was; possibly at home, or probably at work. It was a hectic time; I was 19 and attempting to discover what the future held. Bonnie and I were going steady at this time.

4. ... Martin Luther King Jr. was killed? April 4, 1968. See above.

5. ... whenNeil Armstrong took that first step on the moon? July 20, 1969. 13 days away from becoming a married man, I still took time out to avidly watch the news coverage. I couldn't get enough of space news.

6. ... when Ronald Reagan was shot? March 30, 1981. I was 32 years old. I remember watching the news coverage, but much of the '80s is obscured by mist now. I do remember not being a fan of Reagan. Anyone who claims that catsup qualifies as a vegetable and that trees kill is no hero of mine.

7. ... when John Lennon was killed? December 8, 1980. The Beatles and their music formed a big part of the backdrop of the life Bonnie and I had begun to build together; we were horrified that someone could commit such an act. An interesting comment about my father: he grudgingly acknowledged the fact of John Lennon's importance to us by mentioning his death without any prompting.

I'm going to pause here; this is exhausting my mental reserves. To be continued.